Posted on EPOCA: 24 Aug 2011 — The Daily Astorian picks up the OnEarth story “The Great Oyster Crash”.
“We’ve mailed a package to ourselves and it’s hard to call off delivery.” This pithy sound bite from Oregon State oceanographer Burke Hales refers to how the ocean absorbs human-related carbon dioxide and then cycles it back to the surface 30 to 50 years later.
Here on the Oregon Coast, this carbon cycle has been manifesting itself in the form of acidic seawater that rises from the depths and kills young oysters and clams. Especially right after hatching, their shells are tender enough to be dissolved by mild acid.
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The Daily Astorian, 23 August 2011. Full article. Also read the original story in OnEarth http://www.onearth.org/article/oyster-crash-ocean-acidification